The Annual Pulitzer New Years Party
by truebooknerd
Summary: Kathrine has agreed to go to her family's annual New years party on one condition; Jack must be allowed to come! But what if Jack doesn't want to?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is going to be a very short story that I meant to publish much earlier but over half way through January will do right? Please read and review, it makes me happy! I do not own...**

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Two Weeks Earlier…  
A knock on the door of Joseph Pulitzer's office in the middle of the day,  
"Your daughter is here to see you now Mr. Pulitzer."  
"Thank you Grace, please send her in."  
"So father, what is it you wanted to see me about?" Katherine asked as she flopped into one of the leather spinning chairs in front of his desk.  
"Well, New year's eve is two weeks away and as you know every year your mother and I work very hard to throw a party on that night and we need you there to help receive guests. So will yyyou be there? Don't worry about a thing you will just have to show  
up."  
"But father! I was going to spend New Years with Jack and his friends! I can't spend christmas with them because of family and now I can't be with them on that one night! Please let me skip it this year. They're always boring anyways!" At that mention  
of Jack, Joseph's jaw clenched he had met Jack before obviously but didn't want to do it again. Because of that darn Roosevelt, he had to hire the boy as a cartoonist and even though he hated to admit it to himself, Jack had some serious talent as  
an artist. Now he mostly just hated the idea that his only daughter was dating some hard-scrabble, poor, street boy.  
"Please Kathy I need you and anyways, this will be the year going into a new century! It is going to be our biggest party yet and we have already sent out the invitations. I'll make it up some other way to you I promise just do me this one favor."  
"No I will not." Katherine stood up and was heading out the door when an idea came into her head, "Actually, Yes I will come," Pulitzer's face lit up in delight. "But, I get to bring someone."  
"Okay who?" but when he saw his daughter's face, he knew who it was going to be. And as if just to taunt him, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and before it fell, he saw the tiny, tell-tale sign of a bruise on her collarbone.  
"Fine." he said in exasperation, "But he has to be presentable if I don't think he looks right, he can go right back out the door."  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, thank you now you finally have an excuse to meet him! I promise, he is going to look better than anyone of those finely primped old men I would have to talk to otherwise. Also I was going to come anyways I wouldn't  
do that to you father!"  
Pulitzer's face paled a bit as she bounced out the door. 'She was going to come anyways! What have I done?'

"So… What's the big news? You pulled me out work early, not that I mind or anything but normally you wouldn't do well, that." Katherine was pulling Jack along the street and up to her apartment.  
"Come on! You've hardly spent anytime with me over the past couple of weeks and I pulled you out at 5:30! That's later than all of the other journalists would ever stay even if they were working on a major project. It's almost Christmas and you deserve  
some time off."  
"Well then let's get this started!" By now, they had reached the apartment and Katherine unlocked the door and when she opened it, there was a candle-lit table waiting for them.  
"Wow Ace, this this is just amazing! You set this up for me, and you cooked. This looks so nice, I'm starving!" Striding over to the table the excitement on his face flickered for a moment when he actually went to sit down and Katherine noticed, "Sweetie,  
is everything okay? You don't look very happy were you looking for something specific?"  
"No, no, not at all just this is a lot of forks and knives and, why?" He said this with such sincerity and confusion that Katherine just had to start laughing. With hurt in his voice, Jack said, "Why are you laughing? I'se bein' honest what's this thing  
for?"

"I'm sorry! I'm not laughing at you really, I'm laughing well I suppose at your confusion! This morning, I talked to my father and he wanted me to come to a New Year's party and I said I would only go if you were allowed to come! And well, I know that  
you don't have a ton of experience at these big things so I wanted to help you get ready. Tonight I made dinner so I could show you the place setting and then we will need to get you a suit and I'll give you a haircut. Yes your hair is fine but I  
just want to clear up some of the spiky bits." Sitting down her tone became serious, "This is the first time you are meeting my parents and I want them to like you. We've been dating for six months now, I do think I, I mean we need to clear up any  
doubts or questions that they may have about you."  
"Wait, do you think they won't like me?"  
"Oh no, they are going to love you! They just have to meet you first." Jack thought about this for a minute,  
"But they aren't going to like me unless I can use these six different forks you got here or I'm wearin' a suit or I talk all clean and fancy like some upper west side snob! If that's what you want Ace, I'll do that but for you not for your parents. I  
love you I truly do I just feel like sometimes you're embarrassed to be seen with me. I haven't met any of your friends, we haven't been anywhere or done anything nicer than that little restaurant down the street! If you want, I'll start saving even  
more so we could do these things but tell me what you want me to do! It's hard going from being dirt poor and only having to really worry about yourself to going to still being pretty much dirt poor and having to worry about yourself AND some rich  
heiress who yer tryin' to date!"  
"Is this how you really feel?""Yes I'm sorry that it came out this way but yes this is how I feel" The two stood, seething at one another.  
"Well then, I'll be leaving."  
"You do that."  
Slamming the door behind him, Katherine stalked over to her couch, flopped onto it and promptly fell asleep, just wanting the day to be over. In the morning she woke up around seven to the sound of someone knocking at the door. Getting up, Katherine tried  
to fix her dress and hair before answering. On the other side of the door, a small boy in a ratty hat shoved a piece of paper at her and ran back down the hall. The note read:  
 _Jack Kelly would like to request the company of Ms. Katherine Pulitzer on New Year's Eve at the attendance of Mr. And Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer's annual ball._

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 **So yeah that was the first part. If there is anyone in specific you would like to see, please comment and I will try to fit them in!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again, thanks for the comments! They really made my day now, if you want to make my week, please read and review! Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy... Je ne possède pas (I'm studying french and decided I should change it up a bit.)**

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It was a few days after Jack and Katherine's little spat and the Brooklyn newsies were holding the monthly get together party. Mostly though, it was just an excuse for the boys to play cards with new people and drink. Jack was still the leader for a few more months before he turned 18 and he still wanted to savor living with his friends but tonight, he didn't feel like talking with anyone. After a few hours in the loud crowded area the Brooklynites called their common room, Jack stepped outside to just sit on the front steps; even though it was cold. He started to feel his head clear from his worries about the holiday party and fill with more appreciation for Katherine's understanding. Just then, the door opened, letting a bright stream of light filter out onto the street. Jack didn't realize who it was until he turned to see the boy who had come out to sit next to him expecting it to be Crutchie or Specs or someone. But no, it was Spot Conlon. Spot went to hand him a mug of a dark liquid and Jack looked at it cautiously,

"I'm sorry Spot, but I don't want whatever you've concocted tonight."

"Look Jacky-Boy, I don't drink and this is Coffee. I promise." Jack still refused to take the mug, "Trust me, I won't poison you. This is coffee, really if you want I can get you somethin' else if you want I just figured you might be cold."

"Wait, I know I'm tired but I don't think that you're actually Conlon. You're being nice and not insulting me, you got me a cup of frickin' coffee and what do ya mean 'I don't drink'" Staring down at his feet, Spot started to talk without making eye contact,

"I only have enough to throw people off my, well lack of scent I guess. Yep It's the same glass all the time or I just happen to do a slight of hand and swap glasses with someone else. But you can't tell anyone! Yer leavin' in a bit and it has ta leave with ya! But what is the issue that I came out here ta help you with and am currently freezin' my butt off for!?"

"Ha! Well I never. But you don't actually care about my problems He turned to look at Spot who just looked blankly at him. "Fine, my girlfriend has invited me to go to this New Years party and I guess I'm just nervous about it."

"Do ya have a suit, plan ta get her flowers? Can ya dance?"

I have ta dance!" With that his face paled. "Of course!if ya need, i'se can teach ya. So first you stand up, put yer hand out and ask the lady to dance. Then, just follow me until ya get what I'm doing and you take over. You are the lead. So I'll be the girl you the boy. Now you hold her like this with yer one hand on her shoulder blade and the other holdin' her hand like this." Jack knew that Spot was short but never realized just how short he was until this night. Spot always seemed so much more intimidating when he was sitting on his boxes or threatening to hurt you if you encroached on his territory. But now, Spot only came up to his nose so he couldn't have been much more than 5'4" or 5'5". And then Spot started to move his feet and drag Jack's along with him, but tonight was just a night of surprises because in the very short amount of time that Spot was pulling him around, Jack started to actually get pretty good and Spot wasn't too bad himself. Without any warning, Spot dipped from under his arm and spun out, knocking Jack off balance and causing him to fall to the ground.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"What I think you mean to say is, 'Thank you ever so much Spot, my knight in shining armor, now I will not embarrass my girlfriend at her fancy party!' And to that I say you're welcome just don't step on her feet." Jack glared at him while Conlon just stared back at him with his signature smirk. Jack got up and went to open the door and just as he was going in, he turned and said; "Don't worry, I'll be quiet."

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 **Hello! I hope you enjoyed this and yes, this is sorta how you actually dance. I ballroom dance in my spare time and I'm currently training for a national Competition! But man, my feet are sore! Please R &R**


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